The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) faces increasing pressure to revoke benefits from approximately 152,000 claimants whose health conditions are recorded as “unknown.” A Freedom of Information request made by the Conservative Party revealed that these individuals are receiving sickness benefit enhancements to their Universal Credit payments, totaling £770 million.
Many of these claimants reportedly lack formal medical diagnoses, raising concerns about the legitimacy of their claims and the oversight of welfare spending. Helen Whately, Shadow Secretary for Work and Pensions, criticized the government, stating, “Over 150,000 people are receiving sickness benefits worth around £5,000 annually without any recorded diagnosis or evidence justifying these payments. This is taxpayer money being distributed without proper accountability.”
Whately further warned that Labour’s administration has lost control of welfare expenditure, highlighting failed attempts at savings last year that paradoxically resulted in increased spending. “The benefits bill is spiraling, yet there appears to be no effective control,” she added.
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Sir Iain Duncan Smith, former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (2010-2016), condemned the practice of categorizing health conditions as ‘unknown,’ describing it as “a cop-out.” He emphasized that the absence of face-to-face assessments during the pandemic has contributed to system exploitation. “Without direct evaluations, claims are going unchecked and inevitably abused. The welfare system urgently needs reform. When I left office, workless households were at a historic low—progress that the pandemic has since undone,” he said.
Responding to the criticisms, a DWP spokesperson clarified: “No claimant receives benefits without their condition’s impact being assessed. In cases where sufficient evidence exists, eligibility can be confirmed through paper-based assessments, which are noted as ‘unknown’ in the data records. Every individual in this category has undergone thorough evaluation, confirming their need for support. Our robust processes ensure that all claimants who are entitled to assistance receive it, based on the impact of their condition on daily living.”